


Flower Fantasy

by Sassysofia



Category: N.Flying (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Christmas, Coffee Shops, Curtain Fic, M/M, Minor Character Death, barista!Seunghyub, pianist!Seunghyub, producer!Hweseung, small town
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:01:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28017411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sassysofia/pseuds/Sassysofia
Summary: Seunghyub lives in a small town and runs a cafe all alone. One day Hweseung, a city native, walks into his life and perhaps makes it a little less lonely.
Relationships: Lee Seunghyub | J.DON/Yoo Hoeseung
Comments: 8
Kudos: 17





	Flower Fantasy

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, this is inspired by flower fantasy~ I listened to it on repeat while writing this. Enjoy!

Tucked away in a tight alleyway on the side of a hill lined with small houses and varying shops hid a cafe called the “Le Petit Prince”. The cafe was small in size, only large enough to fit in three round tables that were never all filled at the same time. Le Petit Prince was usually quiet, the only visitors being the residence of the neighborhood or the occasional person who managed to stumble across it while lost in the maze of winding paths during the tourist season when the cherry blossoms covering the hill bloomed. 

When the older man who ran the shop fell ill, the responsibility of keeping the doors open was passed down to his youngest child. Seunghyub accepted this responsibility and moved back into the small house he once grew up in and took charge of the cafe. His dreams of becoming a famous pianist slowly became nothing more than a fleeting memory as the months passed waiting for his father to get better. 

His father never got better. During the will reading, all alone, Seunghyub’s fate was sealed when the cafe was passed down to him permanently. He would never leave the small neighborhood again. 

It had been a lonely four years since then. The cafe still opened at 7am sharp and closed around 8pm everyday, except on Tuesdays, when Seunghyub used his day off to teach beginner piano classes on the old piano in the neighborhood community center at the bottom of the hill. It was his favorite day of the week, seeing the joy of elders and children alike when they learned a new piece. 

Over the years the cafe gained decor Seunghyub had accumulated. The pieced together collection was a reflection of him and provided him with comfort in the space left empty when his father died. 

Old sheet music he had found in the storage closet of the community center was plastered to one of the cream colored walls of the shop. His dad’s old vinyl collection had a new home in the cafe to provide background music throughout the day.

He managed to shove the tables over and made room for an old upright piano he found at an estate sale a year ago. When no one was in the cafe, he would play his own composed pieces to pass the time. 

A large fiddle leaf fig tree named Fia lived in the corner of the shop. Seunghyub had brought it home with him all those years ago when his father first got sick. Once only two feet tall, it now stood as tall as Seunghyub himself. Stacked around Fia was the collection of books that didn’t fit in the shelves lining his family room back at his house a five minute walk from the shop. 

As winter neared and the rain became constant, fewer people ventured down to hang out in the cafe, leaving Seunghyub with extra time to read and play piano. 

Being alone gave him a sense of peace. After being alone for so many years, he had grown socially awkward outside of the cafe or at the community center where he had his piano to direct his attention. 

No one had visited the cafe one particularly day, allowing Seunghyub time to play. His fingers were dancing across the keys with ease as he played a piece his father used to enjoy when the bell sound of the door opening broke his concentration. 

A young man had stumbled into the cafe. He was soaked, no umbrella in sight. Seunghyub, startled, jumped up to help the young man, offering to get towels from the back of the cafe. 

“Ah thanks. That would be great.” The man mumbled with a small chuckle, rubbing away the water that had dripped into his eye. 

Seunghyub scurred behind the counter to find the towels. Crouched down, he was hidden behind the counter, so he took the opportunity to peak over the edge to get a closer look at the unfamiliar man. 

He was shorter than Seunghyub. His hair was dark brown and fell, soaking wet, into his face. His black t-shirt clung to his toned chest, and the silver necklace that hung around his neck swung as he bent down to look for something in his bag. 

_ Oh, he had a suitcase with him _ . Seunghyub had been so startled by the sudden appearance of someone he didn’t know, that he didn’t notice the suitcase the boy dragged behind him into the cafe. 

Quickly standing, Seunghyub delivered the promised hand towel. 

“Sorry I don’t have a full sized towel here. Hopefully this will do.” 

“Ah, thanks. The weather forecast didn’t say anything about rain. It took me by surprise.” The new man chuckled as he started to dry off his hair while looking around the cafe. 

His smile was charming. It caused his eyes to squint cheerfully. 

“That’s normal around here. The weather has a mind of it’s own most of the time. Are you from around here?” Seunghyub reached out to take the damp towel to return it to the back of the cafe. 

“Yea. Well, kind of? I was born here, but shortly after I moved to Seoul with my parents. I came back because my Grandma is getting old and she needs someone to look after her.” He explained. 

“Actually, I was kinda lost when it started to rain. Do you know this neighborhood well? Do you think you can help me find this address?” The boy held out his phone with the address typed onto the notes app. 

In black and white, Seunghyub read the address of his next door neighbor’s house.  _ What a small world _ , he thought. 

“Actually, she happens to live right next to me. What a funny coincidence.” Glancing at his watch, he debated for a second. 

“I guess I can close up an hour early today, let me clean up, and I will take you there myself.” He hurried behind the counter to start turning off machines. 

“Thank you...ah, I forgot to ask you your name.” The man blushed in embarrassment. 

“Seunghyub. And yours?” He looked back. 

“I’m Hweseung. Nice to meet you, neighbor.” He beamed and made a small bow. 

The walk from the cafe to Seunghyub’s house was typically a short one. About seven minutes if he was going really slow, however with Hwesung chatting away about how he got lost in the winding neighborhood, the walk seemed to take less than a minute. 

“Alright. Here we are. My house is that one over there if you need anything. I’m sure we will see each other around. It's a small area.” Seunghyub awkwardly rocked back and forth. 

“Ok thanks! See you later, Seunghyub.” With a little wave, he started to trudge up to the gate and lift his suitcase over the threshold. When the gate swung shut with a loud bang, only then did Seunghyub turn towards his house. 

Before he could take the first step, the heavens seemed to open up in a downpour, leaving him soaked. 

_ Great, this is what I get for being a kind Samaritan _ . He sighed. 

\---------------------

The next morning, Seunghyub had a hard time getting up at five thirty to make it to the cafe and set it up on time. His mind seemed to wander, the lolling music in the background kept bringing up images of the shorter man who he ran into the day before. 

It had confused him at first.  _ Why did such a person leave him feeling this way _ ? Confusion subsided to anger, however that didn’t stop his mind from going back to the boy. 

When the first customer came in, he was so spaced out that the elderly man had to wave his hand in front of Seunghyub to get his attention. 

“Something must be weighing hard on your mind there, my dear son,” he laughed. His crows feet gave his smile the grace of aged wisdom. 

“Ah sorry, I shouldn’t be so careless while at the cafe. Would you like your usual, Mr.Kim?” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked towards the regular customer. 

“That’s the face of a man who needs to sit and think for a while about life. The usual Americano for me and a hot coco for my wife will do. Thank you, dear.” He set down five dollars and made his way to the table closest to the counter. The usual spot he would wait at as Seunghyub made his order. 

“Mr.Kim, do you know anything about Mrs.Yoo’s grandson? He is around my age I believe. He moved into town yesterday, and he looked very out of place.” Seunghyub wasn’t usually one to start small talk but he needed to find out more about Hweseung, and Mr.Kim’s wife was good friends with Mrs.Yoo. 

“Ah yes. That must be why you are acting this way. Mrs.Yoo did mention that her grandson was coming to stay with her. I believe that the young man works in the music industry, so his living situation can be flexible. How nice is that? Back in my day, you had to live where you worked. The internet is so nice.” Mr.Kim kept rambling, and Seunghyub politely nodded along until the order was completed. 

Sending the old man off with a wave out the door, Seunghyub closed it behind him and went back to the counter. _ So he works in the music industry… I wonder what that entails. Classical? Pop? Maybe he films music videos for those kpop stars.  _

Only a few more people came into the cafe for the rest of the day. Sadly no sight of Hwesung. 

Making his way back home, Seunghuyb walked the winding streets with memorized ease, allowing his mind to wander. Before he knew it, he was stopped in front of the house next door. The tall black metal gates in the front of the house were cold and unwelcoming. 

If only they were open, then he would have walked up to the front door and invited Hweseung over for dinner. 

After a few minutes of contemplation about that idea, he decided that was a bad one due to the fact that he didn’t know how to cook, let alone have enough groceries at home. 

He turned back to his house and continued the regular path back home like usual. 

He had a complicated relationship with his house. The house wasn't welcoming. It was cold from being left alone every day, dust collected on the piles of books and sheet music. The burgundy grand piano that sat in the center of the family room was the only piece of furniture that he owned that didn’t belong to his parents before they died.

The house was his escape from the stress of dealing with people, however it stood as a reminder of all the people that had left his side. 

His mother had passed away when he was twelve, and his father four years ago. His sister was much older than him, so when he was thirteen, she moved off to college and never returned home. Currently she was working in the states with her husband and three kids. 

Seunghyub was lonely most of the time, but the cafe and the local elderly couples made sure that he had some company from time to time. 

Every holiday, Mrs. Lee, who lived a few doors down, brought baked goods over, and Mrs. Jung would knit new hats and gloves for him during the winter time. 

Dropping his umbrella at the door, he shed his damp coat and made his way to the kitchen. Yep. He needed to go get groceries tomorrow during his day off. All that was left was some rice and half a jar of kimchi. 

After dinner, he turned on some music and cozied up to read a book for the night. Tonight he decided to read a romance. Something that didn’t happen often for Seunghyub. 

\---------- 

Seunghyub saw Hwesung again during his tuesday lessons at the community center. It was decked out in Christmas decor, December was next week and the town liked to all pitch in to make it feel festive. 

The little girl on the bench next to him was playing Fur Elise for the fourth time today. She was clumsily plucking through the notes when he spotted Mrs.Yoo introducing a smiling Hwesung to all of her Bingo friends. 

The boy nodded and shook hands or was occasionally pulled into an unsuspecting hug leaving him awkwardly smiling back at all the older ladies that came to greet him. 

“Seunghyub! Was it better that time? I only messed up one note!” the little girl grabbed at his sleeve as she excitedly swung her legs that were too short to reach the pedals. 

“Oh, yes. You are doing great. Why don’t we pick a Christmas song for the winter show and tell. Flip through this book and pick one to practice for the rest of the lesson today, ok Mina?” he patted her head and focused back on the lesson he was teaching. 

From across the room, Seunghyub didn’t notice the pair of eyes on him. Hwesung had finally noticed the other boy at the piano bench and was amazed at how much he seemed to change when the black and white keys were in front of him. 

\------------------------

It was December 7th when Hwesung visited the cafe. Seunghyub was hanging a wreath above the piano to add some Christmas cheer to the place. White Christmas by Bing Crosby was playing on the vinyl player shoved in the corner of the room. 

The stool teetered a little when he turned to see who had entered. A smile came across his face as he finished hanging the wreath and climbed down to greet Hweseung. 

“So the city boy finally made it out to my humble cafe again.” He dramatically bowed. This was so unlike Seunghyb’s usual reserve. 

“Haha! I didn’t realize that my grandma was going to personally introduce me to every single person in this neighborhood. I am exhausted.” Hweseung collapsed into a chair dramatically with a sigh. 

“Well not everybody. She didn’t even think to take you next door to meet me? I’m offended.” Sunghyub laughed and ruined his brief offended expression. 

“So what can I get you? I assume coffee is in order.” He tied his apron back on and brushed his hands off on it, looking up expectantly. 

“Yea, a caramel macchiato would be great right now.” Hwesung had pulled out his phone and started to scroll through his Instagram. Glimpses of fashionable Seoul natives flashed by as he liked almost every post. Occasionally he chuckled under his breath about something someone had posted. 

Seunghyub made the coffee quickly and felt a little sad that the man had chosen instagram over small talk with him. 

One of the tricks he had learned over the years working at the cafe was latte art. He took the caramel drizzle and made a snowflake on top before giving it to Hweseung. 

“Very festive of you.” Hweseung commented as the cup was set down in front of him. 

“This is the most Christmas you will get out of this shop. When I was a kid, my dad would have the whole cafe decked out, Christmas tree and all.” He turned around to point at the piano. “It would stand all in that corner right there.” 

“That's sweet. Most cafes in Seoul don’t do much for Christmas. Maybe change the music, but that's about it. Well thanks for the coffee. I should get back to my house. Work awaits.” With a little nod, Hweseung headed out of the cafe again. 

“See you around, Seoul boy,” Seunghyub called after him. 

\-------------------------

As the month of december went on, Hweseung only stopped by for the occasional caramel macchiato, never slowing down to have a full conversation with Seunghyub. 

Outside of the cafe, Seunghyub was busy teaching Christmas carols to community members for the talent show. Somehow he was volunteered to help run it this year by one of the older women who took lessons from him. 

It was the morning of the show day, and all the children ran around excitedly in their red, green, and gold outfits.The weather had turned from rain to a full on blizzard forcing everyone to take shelter inside. 

Mina had come up to Seunghyub a couple times already today, nervous about her piece. She was the opening act this year and with that came a lot of pressure for the twelve-year-old. 

The piano had been wheeled up on the little stage that was set up in the common room. The change caused Seunghyub some stress, because the person who moved it left the stack of sheet music scattered across the floor. 

“Ah, Mrs.Kim, did you happen to see the second page of Silent Night? Ah, be careful Jun, your shoes are still wet from being outside. We wouldn’t want to ruin the music for tonight.” He scooped up the four year-old-boy before he could run over the stack of papers. 

“I’m sorry dear, that this is so chaotic. I believe Jihoon was moving some sheets to the piano’s new location. I would check there. In the meantime, I will get these youngsters to clean up this mess. Don’t stress too much.” She sounded so calm and reassuring.

Things managed to work out well enough, because everyone was in their places and ready to go for the show on time when the clock hit 5pm. 

Mina’s performance went perfectly. The next few acts were younger children singing along to Seunghyub’s piano playing. 

Before the night ended, Hweseung had snuck into the back row of the center, unnoticed by most except for Mrs.Yoo who had been saving a seat for her beloved grandson. 

Things were petering out and a lot of the younger families had left for home to put their children to bed. Mrs.Yoo surprised everyone by standing up and grabbing Hwesung’s hand. 

“Hweseung dear, why don't you get up and sing something for us. Your voice is beautiful.” She gently pushed the boy to the front of the room. 

“Grandma, you really shouldn't have,” he awkwardly mumbled. “I’m sorry for the last minute decision for a performance.” turning to Seunghyub who was sitting behind the piano looking back at him surprised. 

“Do you know how to play ‘For Life’?” 

“The one by EXO?” Seunghub asked, amused. 

“Yea that one.” He blushed. 

Nodding, Seunghyub started to play. To say that he was surprised by Hweseung’s singing ability would be an understatement. The shorter man had a strong singing voice. As he belted out the last high note, the audience went silent. Everyone was mesmerized by the two on stage. 

After it all ended, Hweseung was busy getting complimented by the neighborhood while Seunghyub cleaned up the mess. He finished up and left before the talented singer could say anything to him. 

The day left Seunghyub exhausted and all he wanted to do was go home and play some piano to relax before going to bed. He felt that saying something to Hweseung would have been a good idea, but escaping the crowded room was the best thing Seunghyub could do for himself in that moment in time. 

Seunghyub paid no mind to the fact that the sounds of Moonlight Sonata easily carried beyond his walls into the windows of nearby houses.

\----------------------------------

When Hweseung entered the cafe the following morning he spoke first for a change.

“Hey so we make quite the dynamic duo. Thanks for playing for me during the show last night. How long have you been playing? You sounded great.” Hweseung complimented Seunghyub while waiting for his coffee, which was more words than he had previously strung together in one breath. 

“I started playing when I was ten. I wanted to be a professional pianist and play in concert halls.” Seunghyub was good enough to. While he was away for a few years in university, he ranked consistently first place in his classes. Even had offers with record companies, however that was all a past memory now. 

“I didn’t know that you had that powerful voice in you. I heard you work in the music industry. What exactly do you do?” Seunghyub complimented back. 

“Oh I produce mostly, however I am in a small band. It’s nothing compared to most kpop bands nowadays,” he humbly stated. “It's called 4242. Mostly indie rock, some power ballads, stuff like that.” He smiled. 

“So now that I have officially lived here over a month, maybe I should get someone to show me around who knows hangout places other than the bingo hall and the knitting shop that my grandma frequents.” Hweseung hinted, tilting his head to the side with a goofy smile. 

“You might be asking the wrong person, but I can try my best.” 

“Are you free this weekend. The day after Christmas?” he asked, pulling out his phone to check his calendar. 

“Yeah, that will work. I will close the shop for the day.” The taller boy smiled. 

“Perfect. It’s a date then. I will pick you up at two. I expect a day full of all the local spots!” He smiled, grabbing his macchiato before exiting the cafe, leaving a very flustered Seunghyub in his wake. 

\--------------------------

Seunghyub stood in front of his closet. He was suddenly lost about what to wear. Thoughts of Hwseung’s fashionable music friends from Seoul kept coming to mind, leading to more stress about picking the perfect outfit. 

If they stayed outside, his outfit really didn’t matter. His down coat would cover his whole outfit. But if they went into a cafe or restaurant, then he would need to make sure that he looked good. It all depended if Hweseung got hungry during their little tour today. 

Staring at his closet again, he kept thinking about all the outfits he saw Hweseung wear. Black, black, and black. Maybe Seoul natives liked to wear all black? He could do that too. 

Reaching into the closet, he pulled out a black button up that was polka-dotted with little white hearts. Settling on simple back slacks, he made sure to slip on tall socks before picking out chunky white dad sneakers. He grabbed a silver chain to match his small hoop earrings. 

Looking into his mirror, he nodded before grabbing his phone and wallet to go sit by the door and wait for Hweseung to knock. 

Seven minutes later, a very bundled Hweseung was standing on his porch looking up at him. 

“I'm ready for the tour! It's freaking cold today, huh?” He sniffled. Seunghyub couldn’t help but melt a little at the sight of his nose, red from the cold. 

“Wait, I have something that might help.” He took a step back inside and returned with a khaki green thermos. 

“Drink this. It will help keep you warm on our walk.” he smiled handing over the cylinder to the shivering boy. 

Opening it up, Hweseung took a big sip before pulling it away with a smile. “Caramel macchiato. Thank you.” 

They both wandered out into the cold. It wasn't snowing at the moment, but the fresh snow that fell overnight coated the town in a pure white. The barren cherry trees that lined the pathway held the weight of the white powder that settled along each branch. 

Their first stop of the tour was Seunghyub’s favorite accessory shop. He wanted to prove to Hweseung that country people could be just as fashionable as Seoulites. 

They both wandered between the tables filled with chains, earrings, hats, and belts. Hweseung picked up a thin silver chain bracelet with a red string weaved through it and a matching one with blue. 

“We should get these!” He held them up to his face so Seunghyub could see them from across the table. 

They left the store, the red bracelet snug on Seunghyub’s wrist and the blue one tied around Hweseung’s. 

The rest of their date consisted of tourist picture spots and all the best places for food. 

They were making their way up the hill when they reached Hweseung’s house. 

“There is one more place I want to take you, but it's a little bit of a hike. Are you down to go today?” Seunghyub turned to Hweseung. His nose was just as red as it was earlier in the day when they left on their little adventure. He was worried that being out in the cold this long might cause the other to get a cold. 

“I’m up for the challenge!” Hweseung cheered confidently. And so instead of stopping at the houses, the two continued upward on the same path. 

As they climbed higher on the hill, the houses and shops thinned out. Bushes showed up more and more, and as they rounded a corner they came into a clearing that ended at the edge of a cliff. 

Seunghyub led the two to the edge to see the view. 

“Wow! You can see the whole town from up here!” Hweseung gasped. 

“I like to come here to think. The best part is that.” He pointed towards the sun that was quickly setting. “Wait about ten minutes. The sunset is breathtaking.” 

The two stood there in the snow and watched the hues of pink and orange take over the sky. The little town that weaved down the hill started to turn on their lights one by one, until it seemed to glow with life. 

“This is amazing.” Hweseung smiled and looked up at Seunghyub. 

“I'm glad that I was able to take someone here. I have never done that before.” He confessed, hand rubbing the back of his neck as he got nervous. 

  
  


“I’m honored to be the first!” Hweseung beamed. “Let’s head back down. I can’t feel my ears.” 

“Oh yeah. Let’s head back.” Seunghyub laughed. 

They headed back and said their goodbyes. Seunghyub went to bed that night staring at his new bracelet with a light heart. 

\---------------------------

Hweseung frequented the cafe more often nowadays. He would show up early with his laptop and headphones, working there so he could spend more time with Seunghyub. 

At first it was awkward because the Hweseung kept forgetting things at his grandmother’s house and had to run back occasionally. But after a week, he got the hang of working out of the cafe. 

“Hey Seunghyub, come listen to this. I need to add a piano section, but I can't seem to get it right” He held out his headphones. 

Seunghyub set down his phone, which he had been playing on because no one else was currently in the shop, and went around the counter to put the headphones on. 

A dramatic ballad started to play. The drums and guitar were in place, and some piano parts, but they seemed to cut out in some sections, not sure of what melody to take. 

After listening, with some thought, Seunghyub made his way to the piano bench and started to play a little. 

“Maybe something like this?” He played a bit before pausing. “You are going for more of a lighter ballad, right?” He turned to look back at the boy at the computer. 

“Yes! That's great. Do you think you could write out what you just did so I can input it into this mix?” He asked. They bounce ideas off of each other for the rest of the day, staying late, but walking away with an instrumental ready for vocals to be recorded on top. 

“Now lyrics. Arguably the hardest part.” Hweseung sighed. 

“Do you think you can send me the audio? I think I want to try writing some lyrics for it.” Seunghyub glanced over and sensed Hweseung’s surprise. 

“Are you sure that you have never helped create a new song before?” The look of speculation crossed his face. 

“Nothing like this. I have composed some original pieces on the piano. But purely classical stuff, and definitely no lyrics. I just thought it would be fun to give it a try.” He smiled. 

\-----------------------

Working together to compose more songs had become the usual nowadays. Sometime in the cafe, sometimes Hweseung would hangout at the community center to ask Seunghyub questions in between the piano lessons. 

Seunghyub had proven himself quite the lyricist. The first time he presented his work to Hweseung, the boy was surprised at how poetic it was, something that Seunghyub had credited to his avid reading.

However, their more frequent conversations didn’t always stay on the topic of music. Often they would talk about how their weeks went, commenting on interactions with people around town. Small talk. 

By the middle of January, those conversations started to get deeper. Talks about their childhood, why they choose their career paths. Seunghyub even opened up about his time in Seoul and his promising music career before he moved back home. 

Hweseung liked to joke about how in a different life, Seunghyub could have been the pianist for his band 4242. Playful banter became the norm between them. 

It never moved past a warm friendship though. Hweseung made it clear that when the time came, he would move back to Seoul to continue his life as a musician. The thought of that day coming scared Seunghyub, but in the meantime, he was going to enjoy his company. 

One Tuesday after Seunghyub’s lessons ended earlier than usual, Hweseung invited Seunghyub to get drinks. They both made their way to the popup street vendor that they usually passed on their way home. 

The tent had multiple heaters to keep the place warm even during the cold time of year. A couple of people already sat around plastic tables on little stools drinking and chatting away. 

The two entered the clear plastic tent and made their way to an empty table. The older lady working at the place came running over right away. 

“Oh Hweseung, welcome my child. I have been meaning to stop by your grandmother's house to get advice on this quilt I am making, but I have been so busy lately. Is she doing well?” The lady quickly fell into a friendly conversation with Hweseung. 

“Well, you two are probably here for the food and not to chat with me. What can I get you?” She brushed her hands off on her apron and put them on her hips expectantly. 

“I would love some of your famous tteokbokki. Two servingings, please. And what did you want to drink Seunghyub?” He turned to the boy across the table expectantly. 

Seunghyub, at this point, was feeling a bit awkward. Here was Hwesung, someone who had only been living in this town for a little under two months and was more well known amongst the locals than Seunghyub was. 

A little confused at the situation, he looked between the two before mumbling out that soju was fine with him. 

After the lady left to collect their order, the lull in the conversation hung heavily between them for several beats. 

“I apologize for ordering tteokbokki for you. Are you fine with spicy foods?” 

“Actually it's one of my favorites, so thanks for reading my mind.” Seunghyub looked up smiling and brushed off the apology. 

The lady returned with the drinks and tteokbokki. Smiling at the two but not sticking around for a conversation this time. 

Hweseung had grabbed one of the soju bottles to give to Seunghyub at the same time Seunghyub went to do the same causing Hweseung to grab the other’s hand instead. They both froze for a second before the latter pulled his hand away as if he was burned. 

“Ah, sorry. Looks like we had the same thought.” Hweseung blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. 

Seunghyub insisted that he didn’t need to apologize for everything. 

Once the alcohol was consumed, the two started to open up and things got less awkward. They ended the night like they usually did when Hweseung stayed late working on things in the cafe, by walking back together and saying their goodbyes at Hweseung’s gate. 

\--------------------------------------

The dinner dates became a Tuesday usual. And then again on Saturday, and then they added Thursdays. Both wanting to spend more time with each other, but always finding an excuse for why.

‘Business Partners’ Hweseung would call them. 

‘Musically inclined acquaintances who work together to create art’ Seunghyub would add. 

But everyone around them could tell by looking at them that their relationship was becoming much deeper than that. 

After a few weeks of dinner dates, Hweseung invited Seunghyub over for a home cooked meal. 

“It's really nothing. My grandma just wanted me to invite you over. She said that she used to bring over meals for you but it's been so long.” Hweseung tried to convince Seunghyub that dinner was no pressure. 

“Are you sure? I feel like this is intruding. In the past she would bring me her leftovers, not invite me to a sit down meal in her house!” He aired his concerns. 

“It will be fine.” Hweseung reassured him. 

And of course, Hweseung was right. The second he entered the house next door, Mrs. Yoo welcomed him as if he was part of the family. She was always bubbly and outgoing, but over dinner Seunghyub realized that she really resembled her grandson in personality and appearance. 

They laughed and talked over dinner for most of the night, eventually moving into the living room for tea and dessert next to the fireplace. It was so enjoyable that the three of them lost track of time and only realized how late it got when Mrs. Yoo started to nod off due to it being way past her usual bedtime. 

However, she was determined to keep their guest there, not wanting to ruin the good time. After being shushed a couple of times, Seunghyub stopped suggesting he go home. However, it was nearing midnight. 

The two boys sat on the floor with their empty tea cups on the coffee table in between them. Mrs. Yoo was sitting on the armchair in the corner of the room adding to the conversion less and less as the night went on. 

Seunghyub was the first to notice that she fell completely asleep and got Hweseung’s attention. The two giggled quietly, Seunghyub nodding towards the front door as a way to suggest his exit for the night. 

They both got up and snuck out of the house. Hweseung and Seunghyub went to the gate in front of their house. Hweseung was standing on the first step of the cement pathway that led to the house once inside the gate. 

Seunghyub was holding his coat, leaving the house quickly to not disturb Hweseung’s grandma, and the other boy had left the house in slippers.

“You didn’t need to see me out. Look at your slippers! They are going to get all ruined.” Seunghyub protested. 

“No, it's all good. These old things are beaten up anyway. You should have put on your coat. It’s cold.” Hweseung fretted. 

“I was so worried about waking your grandmother. She has been nodding off for the past thirty minutes, but she was so determined that I stay longer,” Seunghyub shot back. 

Silence fell between the two for a second before they started laughing at their situation. Here they were, grown men, sneaking Seunghyub out of the house as fast as they could so the boy could finally go home. 

“I'm sorry my grandma was so determined for you to stay.” He got out between giggles. 

“It was kinda cute. She must not get company as often nowadays. I had a fun time.” Seunghyub looked up and Hweseung. 

The two stood there for a while, under the stars, neither wanting to say goodbye. Their breath was visible in the crisp February night air.

Staring for a moment, Seunghyub felt himself slowly lean forward, pausing for a moment to see if the other was going to back away. Before he could continue, Hweseung had also leaned forward, bringing his hands up to pull Seunghyub’s head towards him. Their lips touched softly before they both pulled away. 

Hweseung’s hands were still on either side of Seunghyub’s face, holding him close as they sat there staring. 

After a few seconds Seunghyub was able to comprehend what they just did. Taking a deep breath and going in for another kiss. This time deeper and longer than before. He brought his arms around Hweseung’s back and pulled him into a hug. 

Once they pulled away, Seunghyub noticed the pink blush that had settled along Hweseung’s cheeks. The other boy couldn’t help but look at his slipper clad feet. 

“I, um I should probably go. It’s cold out here. You are freezing.” Seunghyub mumbled before stepping back, past the threshold of the gate. 

“Umm yeah. Get home safely.” Hweseung mumbled.

This comment broke the tension a bit and Seunghyub couldn't help but giggle. “I will try to not get mugged or lost on my long trip home.” He saluted as he backed away before turning and walking quickly home. 

_ Why did I do that? He didn’t seem too shocked. Maybe he liked it as well?  _ Seunghyub wasn't going to get any sleep that night. His mind running over what just happened over and over again causing his ears to turn red. 

_ I’m acting like a blushing virgin. This is ridiculous.  _ He threw a pillow over his face and tried to think about literally anything else. 

\---------------------------

The two started to spend even more time together after that. They never straight out said they were dating, however, Hweseung started to come over to Seunghyub’s house after the cafe closed and eventually that led to him sleeping over. 

It seemed as if Hweseung was near Seunghyub 24/7. Being together just felt right and as the temperature started to get warmer, they were able to go on adventures around the town. 

Their favorite spot to frequent was the hilltop clift that Seunghyub had brought Hweseung to on their first trip around the town. The cherry trees lining the pathway had little buds, a sign that spring was on its way. 

The cliff was where they spent their saturday mornings, drinking coffee and watching the sun rise over the small town before tourists ,who started coming more frequently during this time of year, woke up from their bed and breakfasts. 

\------------------------

They were at the cliff when Hweseung got the call that his grandmother was in the hospital. She had been making her way to the community center to set up the bingo cards for that afternoon when she collapsed halfway there. 

Seunghyub rushed to the hospital with Hweseung. Fear and tension kept their fast walk silent. Once at the hospital, only Hweseung could go back and visit Mrs. Yoo. 

Sitting in the waiting room, Seunghyub couldn’t help but compare this to when his mother passed away. He had received the same call when he was in middle school. His father rushed to pick him up from school, however they were too late and his mother was gone before they got to say their goodbyes. 

Hweseung texted Seunghyub that it was going to be a while and to go open the cafe. Reluctantly, Seunghyub did just that. 

Hweseung wasn’t much luckier than Seunghyub. Around 3pm the same day, tear stained, Hweseung entered the cafe, walking past the customer waiting in line and went to Seunghyub and hugged him. 

The moment Seunghyub wrapped his arms around Hweseung, he fell apart. Sobs racked his body.

\---------------------------

The whole week after, Hweseung refused to go back into his grandmother's home. They had a short funeral, half of the town came to say their goodbyes. Mrs. Yoo was a friendly, outgoing person, so naturally she had many friends. 

The two were lying in bed when Seunghyub suggested that they should go through his grandmother’s house. His fingers thread through Hweseung’s hair. Hweseung agreed with a small nod. 

“I can take a few days off of work and close the shop to help.” Seunghyub offered. Hweseung turned and buried his face into Seunghyub’s side. 

A small “thank you” could be heard from his buried mouth. 

Going through the house was a lot easier than either of them thought. His grandmother didn’t own that many possessions, mainly her extensive tea cups that she had gathered over the years.

Seunghyub picked up a cup from the set they used when he first came over a couple of months ago. Smiling fondly down at it, he thought about how Mrs. Yoo was so determined to keep him there. Deep down he wondered if she was trying to set them up back then. 

“Hey Hweseung, do you mind if I take this set. It holds precious memories.” He called across the room to Hweseung who was putting silverware into the ‘Donate to Community Center’ box.

“I would love for you to take it. I think it will make it easier getting rid of her possessions when I know who it is going to.” Hweseung’s phone went off right after he responded, diverting his focus to the iphone on the table next to him. 

Sighing, Seunghyub watched as Hweseung frantically typed a response. 

“Is there something wrong?” Seunghyub was worried. Hweseung had been getting lots of messages that left the grieving boy irritated and stressed. He should have been spending time to mourn, not dealing with the person who was clearly bothering him. 

“It's fine. Nothing to worry about.” 

It wasn’t the first time Seunghyub had tried to ask about it. Everytime after a text message was received, Hweseung seemed to push Seunghyub further away. Clearly wanting to deal with the issue alone. 

A few nights later, Hweseung finally spoke up about who was messaging him. 

“My manager wants me to come back to Seoul.” he said, out of the blue, while they got ready for bed.

“Your grandmother literally passed away less than two weeks ago and your manager is already pressuring you to come back?” Seunghyub couldn’t believe it. He knew that business in the city was more cold hearted than the country, but this seemed way too demanding. 

“Yeah. I have been sending him our demos, and he wants to get me back in the studio so 4242 can have a comeback before summer,” he clarified. 

Seunghyub knew that someday Hweseung would go back to Seoul, he just didn’t expect it to be this soon. 

“Do you have a say in this? Can’t you stay longer?” he pleaded. 

“I don’t know if staying is the best option for my band. That's selfish of me. I haven’t decided yet though.” 

The conversation quickly changed topic as Hweseung tried to lighten the mood. He jumped onto Seunghyub in bed, attempting to tickle away the sad mood that had fallen over them. 

\-------------------------

Hweseung started to wake up earlier than Seunghyub to finish up clearing out his grandmother’s house. He donated almost everything, giving back to the community that took care of her when no one else in his family could. 

Around noon he would make his way to the cafe where it was starting to get busier again now that the weather was warm. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom now, making the view from the cafe absolutely breathtaking. 

Hweseung and Seunghyub didn’t talk about Hweseung’s inevitable departure. Instead they chose to ignore it all together, continuing their dinner dates and small hikes to the hill. 

Seunghyub planned a small picnic for that weekend. He brought wine and sandwiches from the corner market a block down from the cafe. The blanket they brought was Mrs. Yoo’s. They had found it while cleaning out her house in a box labeled “Hweseung”. When he saw it, he had sobbed, causing Seunghyub much distress. 

Later Seunghyub found out that Mrs. Yoo had made a quilt for all of her grandchildren to give as wedding gifts. Hweseung was the last grandchild who had yet to be married.

When Hweseung had suggested that they bring it on their picnic, Seunghyub tried to protest but the other was determined. So here they were, eating store-bought sandwiches and drinking wine under the cherry blossom trees in full bloom on Hweseung’s literal wedding quilt. 

The sunset felt extra pink that night as they lie there, enjoying each other's company. The food ran out a while ago, but neither wanted to make the first move to pack up, opting to stay out late and stargaze. 

The evening reminded Seunghyub of the first time they visited the cliff. Even back then, a small part of him wanted to kiss the shorter boy. They had only talked to each other a handful of times before, but something had drawn him to Hweseung. 

Only around eleven pm did they start to pack up their picnic. Hand in hand, they made their way back to Seunghyub’s house to sleep for the night. 

\---------------------------

Seunghyub felt his brow furrowing as he made his way up the path toward home. He hadn’t heard from Hweseung all day, and he wasn't at any of his usual places. It was weighing on his mind and making it hard to focus on anything else. With his eyes on the path at his feet and his mind on Hweseung, Seunghyub nearly bumped into Mrs. Lee before he noticed her. She was coming down the path from her house. 

“Mrs. Lee! Have you seen Hweseung?” Seunghyub asked. There was a knot of dread in his stomach. He felt like his twelve year old self all over again, searching for his mom after school to only find out that she was never returning. 

“Didn’t he tell you goodbye?” Mrs. Lee asked. “He made the rounds this morning, saying goodbye to everyone in town. His train should be leaving the station about now.” Mrs. Lee looked down at her watch. 

Seunghyub’s heart dropped. Without responding, he turned towards the bottom of the hill. The train station was at the edge of town, a hike from where he was. That didn’t matter though. He needed to stop Hweseung from leaving. 

Running down the hill as fast as he could, he weaved past couples stopping to take pictures in front of the cherry blossoms lining the paths. They were slowing him down. Frustrated tears started to fall across his cheeks as he tried to run faster. 

At the train station, he pushed past the ticket box and stumbled out onto the platform. His whole body turned to ice. 

The warming weather felt cold to Seunghyub’s cheeks. The blossom petals fell as he watched Hweseung’s train leaving the station. He didn’t make it. He failed to keep Hweseung by his side. Once again, he was alone. 

He stood on the platform and stared after the train as it faded into the distance. Until all he heard was his own ragged breath and the pounding of his heart in his ears. Only once the pounding slowed did he finally turn and leave the station. 

The silence was almost unbearable as he walked back up the hill to his house. He had gotten so used to Hweseung’s constant babbling that without it, everything around him felt louder. 

The couples that he had run past before were still happily taking pictures of the pink blossoms. It only added to Seunghyub’s misery. 

He entered his home and closed the front door behind him. He looked around at the place. It was dark and lifeless once again. Dusty books lined the room. The piano that once brought him joy made him angry. He started picking up books, throwing them across the room. 

In his head the only thing he could think was:  _ everything leaves me. Everyone Leaves. _

He fell asleep that night once again alone in the world. The sheets wrapped around him in an attempt to imitate the warmth of a human. Not any human, but Hweseung. 

\-----------------------------------------

Seunghyub’s life quickly went back to his usual daily routine. The cafe still opened at 7am sharp and closed around 8pm everyday, except on Tuesdays when Seunghyub used his day off to teach beginner piano classes on the old piano in the neighborhood community center at the bottom of the hill. It was his least favorite day of the week. 

It reminded him of Hweseung. 

For nearly nine months, the piano in the cafe sat untouched, for the most part. December was approaching again. The rain once again came in a steady drizzle. 

N.fia, his fiddle leaf fig tree that sat in the corner of the cafe had only grown a few more inches this year. Slowing to a stop a foot from the ceiling, looming over the neighboring table protectively. 

He was fiddling with the old coffee machine that seemed to get stuck once a month nowadays when the ringing of the bell on the door was heard. 

Looking up from behind the counter, his whole world slowed as a man with no umbrella stepped over the threshold and into the cafe. 

His black heeled boots made a satisfying clicking on the title floor. His dark skinny jeans were soaked. His black t-shirt clung to this chest, and a necklace swung as he turned to look at Seunghyub. 

His smile was charming. It was such a bright smile, that he himself seemed to squint from it, only this time there was a hint of uncertainty. 

Seunghyub froze as he looked at the man standing before him. Taking him in as if he would disappear if he accidently blinked. On a sharp intake of air, he exhaled and let out a soft chuckle of disbelief. 

“You really need to invest in an umbrella, Seoul boy.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are welcome! (⁄ ⁄>⁄ ▽ ⁄<⁄ ⁄)


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